The Prerogative

by Jasvinder Sharma
September 4, 2011

http://www.weeklyblitz.net/1760/the-prerogative

Manohar Babu's heart thumped heavily as he read that electrifying news on the first page of today's newspaper. He was sitting in the terrace of his flat at third floor. It was his routine getting up early, preparing bed tea and waking up his wife. Together they would sit in the balcony, read news, exchange views and enjoy their early morning tea.

Manohar Babu read that alarming news, he was terrified. He placed the cups of tea on the table and called his wife.

It was a fine morning of early March. In northern India, it is the most coveted weather. It is the time when mornings and evenings become very pleasant. The summers and winters are too severe and unbearable in this part of India.

His wife came out, yawning, and rubbing her eyes, holding her spectacles in one hand. Lifting the cup of tea, she remarked, 'Let me also see today's newspaper. What is so shocking news that you become so serious after reading it? '

Manohar Babu became a bit uneasy and nervous as if he was caught concealing something from his wife. He controlled himself.

With a firm voice he hissed, 'Nothing remarkable. The same old gossips and news of road accidents and riots ---- three died, thirteen injured. What else is in newspapers these days except the sensational exposures of leaders, scams or the doctor who sold hundreds of kidneys? '

For once Manohar Babu reflected in his mind --- let me tell my wife about that news. That will ease out his burden. But then he controlled himself. It will be better to be silent unless she discovers it herself.

He was of this firm belief that a man should try to conceal serious things from his wife. A woman cannot digest all the bitter truths of this complex life. Many a secrets were buried deep in Manohar Babu's heart. His wife has not that dare to absorb those crude shocks.

Manohar Babu's wife knows that much about this world as Manohar Babu discloses to her. When she hears something different or unusual thing not told by Manohar Babu, there are fiery arguments between them. Such hot debates between the couple always conclude with Manohar Babu's eternal sentence, 'Leave it Year, I am not an ass. I have seen the world. '

And all the people round know that the world seen by Manohar Babu is very limited one and very small too. It is the world within the radius of eight miles --- from his residence to his office and from his office back to his residence.

Manohar Babu gave his wife all the pages of the newspaper nervously. He involved her vehemently in heated discussion about home and the world. He wanted that she may not discover that horrible news item. The thing that could be suppressed should remain so otherwise it becomes a storm unnecessarily.

After a while he asked her to get up and start preparing his breakfast and his lunch box. He made a flimsy excuse that an Inspection team was scheduled to come to his office this afternoon from the Headquarters and he was assigned the important duty of receiving them from the Railway Station and make other arrangements for them.

He carried the first page of the newspaper to the office. All the day, he was worried lest his wife may discover some clue about that news item.

His wife had a hoard of informers in the neighborhood. She always kept in touch with the latest information, rumor, gossip or hearsay in the colony. Every Tom, Dick and Harry has Cable television and mobile. It has become extremely difficult to a keep a secret well guarded these days.

To keep a track of the developments at home, Manohar Babu rang up his wife from his office phone. His wife was very agitated. She spoke in an excited voice, 'Have you read today's lead news? '

Manohar Babu's heart missed a beat. His secret was out, he was sure. His face turned pale, his voice became more depressed and hands started trembling.

Still having a hope, thinking that, may be she was speaking of something else, he reassured her, 'Yes, yes I had read all the news. There is nothing spectacular or significant. The same old stunts, rate of gold touching new height and the sports and shares…. '

His wife interrupted, 'No, no, I am not talking about all that humbug. I was talking about our government hospital. I had gone to Mrs. Tiwari's house and she told me about the latest news that the Chief Minister has inaugurated the special cardiac wing in our Civil Hospital here. From now, the by-pass surgery of heart will be done here itself. Doctors from Delhi will come twice a week and do these operations and that too at a much reasonable rates. It is very good news. Now there is no tension. '

Manohar Babu thought in his heart - you don't know, it is going to be a big problem for me now.

He tried to snub her, 'Well, Delhi is after all Delhi, there are the best hospitals there like Escorts and Apollo. The facilities there are of international level. Ours is a damn poor government hospital for the common man. The novice doctors here cut the body and hand over to you and then you will have to ramble at Delhi. I will still say that it will be foolish to get a heart surgery done here. Leave it Year, I am not an ass. I have seen the world. O. K. We will discuss the whole thing in the evening. '

When Manohar Babu came back from his office, his wife, handing him a cup of tea, chirped, 'I have telephoned my Dad to send here my ailing uncle quickly. We will make his card from the government Hospital and get the tests completed. Dad was telling that uncle has made an arrangement of fifty thousands rupees and the rest … I told him proudly that he should not worry about money. My husband here will take care of everything. My uncle has promised that he would return the money very soon. '

Manohar Babu placed the cup of tea on the table. In an irritated tone he shouted, 'Are you a fool? From where will I take out three Lakhs rupees and get the surgery of your uncle done? I make it clear to you again that I won't touch my Provident Fund money. Our own children have forgotten us. They are busy in their own families. No one knows when one would meet a serious illness. Thousands are spent in a day. Tomorrow if I will die all of a sudden, no one will finance you. Your own people will respect you only if you would have a good bank balance. In old age, wealthy persons get better respect.'

Manohar Babu's wife maintained her soft voice, 'Who else is there to take care of my uncle. He is unmarried. He remained with my Dad all his life. Whatever uncle earned he spent on my family. There is good fertile land in his name. That too, will go to our family. Moreover he says he'll return your money within six months. He has great regard for you …. '

Manohar Babu roared, ' If he has such a great regard for me then why don't he sell an acre of his land and bring three Lakhs rupees with him and get the surgery done honorably. Why is he bent on exhausting my hard earned money? My retirement is near. There is no hope from the children that they will lend me in emergency since they themselves have scarce resources.'

His wife pleaded but Manohar Babu got more infuriated, 'I have devoted my whole life in getting all of your relatives treated in good hospitals here. Now I am fed up. Please excuse me. Your uncle has other nephews too. Why don't they come forward and pool the money. If there emerges an emergent need, only then I should withdraw money from my Provident Fund. Leave year, I am not an ass. I have seen the whole world. '

Manohar Babu's wife maintained her cool. She knew the true nature of her husband. His temper would run very high all of a sudden and then after some time he would cool down and agree to her opinion. Wives have that tact. They know the pulse of their husbands. They force their husbands to accede to their odd whims and conceits.

Manohar Babu was thinking about something else. He was going to retire after three years. All his life, he could not save a single penny. He gave good education to his kids, purchased a flat and married off his kids. Now for the last few years, he managed to save some money in his Provident Fund account.

His wife's family lived in a nearby town. Those people always kept him in tight corners. He tended with care every sick person who came to him from his father-in-law's house. He has one bed-room flat. On many occasions, he had to place a folding bed in kitchen for himself so that the sick person may feel comfortable in his house. He had to carry the food for the sick to the government hospital daily. O.K. one can do all these odd things but now this new problem is troublesome. How can he agree to spend more than three lakhs on the heart surgery of his wife's uncle?

This matter was the subject of heated discussion between Manohar Babu and his wife for the past six months. Once or twice, Manohar Babu thought of agreeing to his wife's proposal but the very next day, he would change his mind.

In his office, people would narrate tragic tales of the unfortunate people who were foolish enough to fritter away their pension accumulations and Provident Fund money on their children and close relatives. And then they would repent the rest of their lives. When in their old age, they would fall seriously ill or needed surgery, they would queue up before Red Cross Society or some other charitable intuitions to get free treatments. They didn't keep enough money for themselves even to buy even a second hand car.

Manohar Babu and his wife didn't speak with each other the whole night. No dinner was prepared. Television remained switched off all evening.

Both sons Manohar Babu were well settled in other cities. They also sometimes sought financial help from him. Manohar Babu's wife always fought with her both daughters-in-law on one pretext or the other. Manohar Babu's wife had an inclination towards her parents' house. Those people always sought help from her through sycophancy and false praise. She had five uncles, three sisters and two brothers in nearby towns that would come and stay at Manohar Babu's residence and disturbed his peace of mind every now and then.

Only last year, a storm of this nature came in their lives when Manohar Babu's wife brought her nephew to her house. She insisted that he should be admitted in a school here since he lagged behind in his studies in the town because of his bad company. Manohar Babu took a stern stand. He didn't take his meals for two days. Only then his wife relented.

Now once again that sort of a tense deadlock came between the couple.

All night Manohar Babu tossed restlessly in his bed. In the morning, he got up as usual. He prepared bed Tea and kept the tray in the balcony.

He called his wife, 'Sudha, Get up, newspaper has come. Get up and take tea.

His wife came out, rubbing her eyes, holding her spectacles in one hand. Manohar Babu was busy reading news. He was diffident to face his wife. A taut silence was fixed between them.

Manohar Babu's wife took a sip from her cup and said in a stiff and resolute voice, 'I take that your decision is final. You are not going to take out the money from your Provident Fund. Let us do one thing then. I will bring all my gold ornaments from the bank locker. That is my own treasure. No one has a claim on them. The rate of gold has soared to new heights. Let me sell it today and you proceed with the angiography and surgery of my uncle tomorrow.'

Hearing this, Manohar Babu's heart sank. His feet became cold. It seemed to him that the moment of his surrender had arrived. He will have to say yes to his wife now and fill the withdrawal form today for an advance from his Provident Fund. He is not an ass. After all, he has seen the world.

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